Just One Smile
by purpletheory
Summary: Frederick never smiles for anyone. But maybe he will smile for Chrom.


**A/N: Well, here I go again. Blatantly disregarding my other stories and writing a COMPLETELY NEW ONE. **

**But please, R and R.**

**~PT**

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><p>Frederick never smiles for anyone. But maybe he will smile for Chrom.<p>

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><p>Just One Smile<p>

Chrom dusted off his gloved hands, feeling winded. The clearing he had been working out in was quiet but Chrom broke the silence, "Well?"

Right on cue, his right hand man, Frederick, came marching towards him through the undergrowth.

"Milord."

Chrom waited as the steadfast knight paused before continuing, "Milord, it appears that your sister, Lady Lissa, has made lunch for the company and it is almost ready. There is roughly six more hours of daylight left."

Chrom gave a small smile at the man's 'update'.

"Thank you, Frederick."

The knight had come up to him and Chrom had to look up to smile at him. The man was several inches taller than he. Chrom watched as his loyal servant's mouth twitched up slightly in response. Chrom frowned.

"Milord? What is the matter? Are you hungry? You should head to the mess tent immediately."

"Oh its fine, I'll head there now. I was just thinking... You never really smile."

Frederick gave a small frown, which was his most common expression, his brow furrowed slightly.

"You mouth kinda quirks up occasionally, but for the most part you do that," Chrom pointed a finger at Frederick's face.

"I didn't know you considered my facial features often enough to notice any regularity, milord."

Chrom blushed a little in embarrassment, "One hardly needs to look long to realize that you frown all the time."

Frederick frowned in response.

"See?" Chrom gave a light laugh and turned away, stretching his arms behind him and ambling back in the direction of the camp.

Frederick fell into pace next to him, but slightly behind. As always.

"Milord."

"Yes, Frederick?"

"Do my facial expressions bother you?"

Chrom huffed a little in amusement and glanced up at his friend, "You may do whatever your heart desires with your face."

Frederick was quiet for a moment, processing what the exalt had said with the same attention he gave anything.

Chrom continued, "I just wonder if you are ever happy."

Frederick was quick to respond this time, "I am happy, if you are happy."

Chrom turned, "Oh? Then why do you never smile when I do?"

"I am happy to aid you in any way possible."

Chrom sighed, "I know Frederick, but what makes you happy, besides serving the House of Ylisse?"

"Being helpful to you."

Chrom just sighed deeper and kept walking. He felt slightly dejected. At times, it seemed as though he didn't know his constant companion very well at all. Soon the pair walked into camp and Chrom felt his stomach rumble in response to the good smell wafting from the mess tent. His spirits picked up somewhat when he saw his company spread out on the chairs and tables available. They were laughing and joking with one another and it made Chrom happy that they were getting along and getting away from thoughts of war and bloodshed.

He forgot about Frederick and his facial tendencies for a moment and joined Cherche and Vaike at a table.

Lissa bustled towards him with a steaming bowl of soup, and he smiled warmly at her. He was proud that she was taking after her sister and trying to help in any way she could. Although Lissa could only make one dish, she made it superbly. He took the bowl gratefully and was about to spoon some of the hot food into his mouth when his eye caught Frederick standing in the corner, refusing a bowl from Olivia. His mouth was more downturned than usual. He began to lose his appetite when he thought of the stoic knight not eating. Maybe he was concerned about his expressions too much now that Chrom had mentioned them. Frederick did seem to care way too much about Chrom's opinions on things. Chrom tried to pay attention to Vaike's jibes but his focus was lost on the food and the banter as he watched Frederick.

The man was scanning the crowd, no doubt trying to figure out what needed to be done next. Chrom smiled at the thought of the knight's mothering attention to detail.

He blushed when Cherche bumped his shoulder, "You look like a lovesick puppy. What are you staring at so determinedly?"

The Wyvern Lord tried to figure out his view point and smiled.

Chrom flushed even more saying, "Nothing, I just remembered I had something to attend to. Please excuse me."

He left his bowl untouched and made his way out into the daylight and began walking.

Why was he so hung up on Frederick? He no longer felt hungry. The young prince had been thinking of the tall knight a lot lately. He often caught himself staring at him.

He brushed the tent flap aside as he walked into the space that served as the war council room. A table was set up with maps and books laid across it.

Robin was very helpful, but she was also a huge mess maker. Candle wax dripped over their holders and onto the papers and an ink well was spilled across the dirt. Chrom shook his head and began to clean up a little, at least picking up the well and trying to straighten the maps into a coherent pile. As he worked, his thoughts again traveled to Frederick. The man was always tidy and making everything around him neat. Chrom remembered that when he was younger he had seriously doubted that the man slept.

Chrom sat in one of the available chairs and smiled at the memory of himself sneaking into Frederick's tent one night, trying to see if the man slept like other men. Frederick's normal frown was very deep that night as he escorted the embarrassed prince back to his own tent in his night clothes.

He finished laying the papers straight and sat still.

He didn't know what he would do without his right hand knight. He just wished he knew what would make the brunet smile. Chrom got up and came out of the map tent, and immediately saw Frederick peeking into tents and searching for something. Chrom knew that something was himself and he was probably in for a lesson about eating three square meals a day. Chrom just waited for the knight to spot him, watching his face all the while. The brown eyes searched, his brows knit together, his frown never moving.

Chrom made a promise to himself right then. He would find out what made the great knight smile and he would make it a point to get rid of that frown. Chrom watched as Frederick finally spotted him and that damned frown deepened. The knight strode towards him, "Milord, you simply must eat something, it is not health-"

Chrom interrupted hotly, "Oh yeah? Well why didn't you eat?"

This gave Frederick pause. He blinked, "I was watching to make sure everyone else was present and partaking in the meal."

"Ah, and who is making sure you were?"

There was several beats of silence. Chrom sighed, looking down. He didn't know why he was suddenly to upset.

"Apparently, you are."

Chrom turned, intent on going to his own private tent, "I'll get something to eat later. I'm not hungry right now." He all but stomped off.

For once, Frederick let him leave without a word.

Chrom was mad.

He was mad that he barely knew Frederick, He was mad that Frederick kind of condescended towards him, and he was mad that he found the man at the center of his thoughts constantly.

The thoughts about Frederick were hardly thoughts friends would normally have towards each other. They were more the kind of thoughts a man would have towards his betrothed.

Chrom sighed and flopped down on his cot. Frederick always made up his tent and had it ready before anything else was done and while it held little in the way of decor, there were more pillows and blankets than most tents. Chrom could sleep on the floor and be fine but he liked that the knight thought to make the tent more inviting.

Chrom didn't claim to know very much about love, but he did know that he cared for Frederick more than any other person save his sister. It did bug him that Frederick would admonish him like a child at times but he knew that he meant well.

He wished that Frederick would smile more. Chrom hardly remembered seeing it since their child days.

He decided to come up with a plan to make the man smile, with force if necessary but figured it would wait. He was feeling tired and they had one more day until they marched again so he pulled a blanket over himself, not even bothering to kick off his boots.

He awoke sometime later to someone shaking his shoulder gently. He smiled when he saw Lissa peering at him with concern.

"Frederick says you didn't eat lunch. What's wrong?"

At the mention of Frederick's name, Chrom felt his heart jump in his chest.

"I was just feeling more tired than hungry, I feel fine now."

His sister smiled widely and pointed at a plate that she had set on his desk, "Well I brought you some dinner."

Chrom thanked her warmly and got up to eat. He noticed that his shoes were gone and he didn't remember taking them off.

"Where did you put my shoes?"

Lissa quirked her head in confusion, "I haven't seen them. Listen, I'm going to go back to mess tent and get some food myself, Frederick told me to bring you food but I haven't eaten yet myself!"

Chrom waved her out and sat down to eat. Frederick always did this kind of thing, but his cheeks felt warm knowing that he was thinking about him.

After he finished up, he looked around for his boots. He went over to the cot and lifted up the blankets to see if they had gotten tangled up in his sheets.

"They are over here, milord."

Chrom jumped at the deep voice of his lieutenant, and turned around to see that Frederick had come in and was standing awkwardly by the tent opening.

Chrom raised an eyebrow at him and went over to grab them. Instead of sitting on the chair, he simply sat down on the ground and pulled on his boots slowly, not liking how his marching blisters ached as the leather slid past them.

"I took them off while you slept."

Chrom blushed but hid it by ducking his head and lacing his boots tightly.

A hand appeared in his vision when he finished and he glanced up at the man. Frederick was without his regular armor, and wore trousers and a loose white shirt with a slender tie. Frederick's hair was stuck up in the back from his constant rubbing of it.

Chrom smiled and took the hand, thinking that he maybe knew more about his friend than he had thought.

Frederick helped him off the ground and then his hand went immediately to rub the back of his head which Chrom knew to be almost a nervous gesture, which he did when he was thinking.

"What is it Frederick?" Chrom asked quietly as he turned to gather up his meal utensils.

Frederick stepped forward and took them from him, "I will take those, milord."

Chrom took them back from him and watched Frederick's small frown deepen, "I have it, thank you."

He turned to leave the tent and Frederick fell into step behind him.

"Are you feeling better?"

Chrom shivered at the lowered tone and responded with a murmured affirmative. Upon reaching the mess tent Chrom took his plate and utensils to the large tub used as a sink. Frederick tried to take them from him again but he just shook his head and kept them. The taller man awkwardly stepped back.

He gave Libra a warm smile as he saw him washing plates and cups.

"Did you make the meal, Libra?" He queried while grabbing some soap and starting in on his own dishes.

Libra smiled softly and nodded, "Did you enjoy it, your grace?"

"It was lovely. It must be a favorite recipe as it tasted so great."

Libra blushed, "Such high praise for a lowly peasant dish, milord. A woman from the town I used to live in as a child used to make it. She would sometimes give me the leftovers when her family was finished."

Chrom complimented the meal once more and continued to wash the remainder of the dishes with the quiet priest. They talked a little more about Libra's past and Chrom felt a pang of sadness at the picture in painted about his childhood. He gave Libra a tender smile and when they were done he dried his hands and bowed slightly to the tall blond.

"It was an honor speaking with you tonight."

"The honor was all mine, milord," Libra's small smile was genuine and his cheeks flushed.

When Chrom turned to leave, he remembered Frederick was still standing nearby. The knight's mouth was puckered downward as if he had eaten something sour.

Libra made his was out of the tent and Chrom sighed, "Why do you always do that with your face?"

Frederick opened his mouth and then closed it again, his eyes somewhat lost.

Chrom just sighed again and turned away from him, putting the last of the dishes up to dry.

When he looked back over at Frederick he saw the man looking at the ground.

"Have I angered you in some way, milord?"

Chrom was surprised by the quiet question as Frederick still wasn't looking at him.

"Why do you ask that?"

"You won't let me help you."

Chrom smiled a little, thinking it silly that that was the reason why, "Some tasks I can, and should, simply do myself. Besides, it gives me a chance to talk to some of the people who follow me. I just learned more of Libra and with that knowledge we can grow closer and fight better on the battlefield together." Chrom watched a shadow fall over Frederick's eyes at the mention of the tall war monk.

"It is not because I do not wish your aid."

Frederick nodded curtly, his frown still present.

"I just wish you would brighten up a little. Give a smile once in a blue moon. Is that so hard for you?"

Frederick just cocked his head and gave an almost imperceptible shrug. He then gave a weak smile that turned out more like a grimace than anything.

Chrom laughed at the sight, "Well maybe you don't know how to smile?"

Frederick gave a very tight smile.

"Ok, that's looks more like the look you give your students before a particularly rough training session."

Frederick sighed and his expression dropped into a frown again.

Chrom stepped close in front of the man and brought his hands up to his cheeks. He gently pulled the corners of Frederick's mouth up and laughed again at the strained expression he received for his efforts. He let go and dropped his hands.

He stepped back a little and sighed again, "I guess it can't be forced." He gave Frederick a smile and turned to leave, He was stopped by a hand on his wrist. He looked back and slowly, like a heavy curtain lifting, Frederick's face molded into a relaxed smile. He looked so handsome, with the dour expression gone that Chrom's breath hitched in his throat. Without thinking, He turned fully and reached up to touch Frederick's cheeks again, "See? That wasn't so bad was it?" He whispered. He then realized how close they were standing, as he could feel the warmth coming from the knight's chest.

Frederick simply nodded, his smile slipping but his face maintaining a pleasant expression.

Chrom cleared his throat and stepped away abruptly, dropping his hands.

"Well then. You can do it more often now right?" He gave a short laugh but it came out a little muddled. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so he stuffed them in the pockets of his trousers, nodded at Frederick and swiftly exited the tent.

The cooling evening air hit his flaming red face as he swiftly made his way towards his tent.

He was so embarrassed.

His fingers tingled from the electric touch of the stubble on Frederick's chin.

The normally stoic man had just looked so… gorgeous. His eyes sparkled and his lips slightly crooked in an actual smile.

Just thinking of it made Chrom weak at the knees. Before anyone saw his flushed cheeks or the ludicrous smile on his face, Chrom half ran to his tent.

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><p><strong>Leave a review! I would love to hear anything from you. ANYTHING...<strong>

**Loves,**

**~Pt**


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